"Deep garnet-purple colored, the 2016 Marquis d'Alesme Becker leaps from the glass with gregarious notions of plum preserves, crème de cassis and Black Forest cake with hints of potpourri, star anise, menthol and tapenade. Full, rich, firm and grainy, with fantastic freshness lifting the densely packed palate, it has a long, beautifully fragrant finish.(LPB)" (3/2019) -96 points Robert Parker's Wine Advocate

93 points - James Suckling

Chateau Haut Bailly is one of the most loved and most prestigious wine estates in all of Bordeaux. This Cru Classe of Graves has been owned by the Wilmers familiy since 1998, even though it has been in existence since 1530 and passed down the Bailly family line. With the investment made by the Wilmers family, the winery was custom built to a contemporary building, which allows them to carry out precision work in optimal conditions- that was debuted with the 2021 vintage. This 2019 is a red blend of 56% Cabernet Sauvignon, 36% Merlot, 4% Cabernet France and 4% Petit Verdot. The aroma is elegant and complex with blackcurrants, earth, cigar box and pencil shavings with full body, ripe tannins and lively acids. This vintage received scores of 96+ from many critics.

Chateau Cos-d'Estournel is a second growth in the Saint Estephe appellation on the right bank of Bordeaux. The Chateau covers 69ha separated from first growth Chateau Lafite along the southern edge, by the stream between St. Estephe and Pauillac. This red blend is a blend of 65% Cabernet Sauvignon and 35% Merlot that is multi-faceted, delivering aromas of cinnamon, truffle, coffee and wild plums with a deep core of velvety tannins, full bodied and fantastic structure. Drink from 2027-2049.

97 Points Robert Parker's Wine Advocate: " Blended of 91% Merlot and 9% Cabernet Franc, the medium garnet-purple colored 2016 la Fleur-Petrus reveals stunning Black Forest cake, redcurrant jelly and wilted roses scents with underlying suggestions of pencil shavings, yeast extract, dark chocolate and cloves. Medium to full-bodied, the mid-palate possesses superb intensity and depth with layers of perfumed black fruits and loads of red fruit sparks framed by firm, ripe, grainy tannins and oodles of freshness, finishing on a lingering earthy note. (LPB)" (11/2018)

99 points - James Suckling

Winemaker Notes

A wine of good density ruby red, with brown, mahogany, biscuit hints. The rim is fairly thick and the legs are fine, clear, abundant and regular. At once expressive, forthright and complex. There are notes of all families of fragrance: fruit, flowers, and spices. The attack is forthright, round and suave, soothing even. The intense aromas initially recall the complexity of the nose. There is leather and lightly charred wood, and roasted notes. The beauty of the wine is revealed by its elegance rather than its full-flavor. The wine has an attractive aromatic range with a finish of remarkable elegance.

Blend: Cabernet Sauvignon: 64%, Merlot: 31%, Cabernet Franc: 4%, Petit Verdot: 1%
Drinking Window: 2021 - 2048

97 Points - James Suckling
"The 2017 Pontet-Canet is a vibrant and polished wine with aromas of black cherries, cassis, forest floor, and hints of violet. Medium to full-bodied, it delivers a rich and plush texture, supported by fine-grained tannins and lively acidity. The palate showcases layers of ripe dark fruit, mineral complexity, and subtle spices. The finish is long and elegant, reflecting the vintage’s balance between concentration and freshness. Ready to enjoy now but built for several years of further ageing.”

Blend: 78% Merlot, 22% Cabernet Franc
Drinking Window: 2027-2045

97 Points - Vinous
"The 2024 Canon is superb. One of the standouts of the vintage, the 2024 possesses striking mid-palate depth to match its vertical personality. Chalk, white pepper, mint, lavender, rose petal, slate and blue/purplish fruit all stain the palate. There's gorgeous depth and density here, and yet the 2024 remains a super-classic wine from the property. This is a real stunner. That's all there is to it. Tasted four times."

Blend: 93% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Merlot, 1% Cabernet Franc, 1% Petit Verdot
Drinking Window: 2029-2055

98 Points - James Suckling
"Really impressive depth, concentration and perfume this year, with fine tannins. Lots of violets, red flowers, black cherries and currants. Full-bodied and seriously structured, with impeccable freshness and a very long finish. Dense and powerful for the vintage, with tension, vibrations, good concentration and a tannin framework."

A deep, dark, opaque, glass-staining wine. Restrained, composed & perfumed on the nose with black fruits, cedar, raspberries, blackberries and violets. The palate is very concentrated & extremely refined. Its fine grained tannins are tightly knit, powerful & muscular but in harmony. An outstanding wine.

Ripe and fresh black fruits and plum predominate with chocolate notes and hints of tobacco leaf. It has a mineral character that highlights the smell of the earth, mixed with aromas of aromatic plants. Voluminous, full, and broad with very fine and noble tannins.

Big and rich, with expressive beef and earthy notes to the dark plum and roasted dark cherry flavors, which are backed by firm tannins and acidity. Creamy in the midpalate, with hints of dried green herbs and dark chocolate on the finish.

A fleshy cuirassier with notes of licorice, spices, and dark fruits. Cherry, currant, and blueberry blend harmoniously, creating a velvety and sweetly ripe taste with splendidly integrated tannins. San Rocco exudes great power and austerity, with an incredible aging potential. A pure complexity and strong character, this wine is monumental.

Château des Quarts was created in 2012 through a joint partnership between two old friends, Dominique Lafon and Olivier Merlin.

For over a decade, Olivier had tasked himself with sourcing and making wine from the best sites within Pouilly-Fuissé and bottling them under his own label. After buying grapes from Clos des Quarts for several vintages, he was first approached with the news that it was for sale. Having been already convinced of the terroir's integrity he jumped on the opportunity.

The vineyard is located in Chaintré, the southernmost village of Pouilly-Fuissé. At just over 2 hectares, the oldest vines are almost a century old and are planted on clay-limestone soils.

Pairs well with: Grilled chicken, Summer salad and Turkey

Consecutive vintage of Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon. This year’s blend consists of 95% Cabernet Sauvignon Clone 337 from their “Big K” vineyard, and 5% Cabernet Franc from their “Upper Bowl” vineyard. Deep aromatics, piercing and precise, a full rich saturated mouth feel, and a long-lasting multi-layered finish define this exemplary blend. Enjoy now or decades from now.

Pairs well with: Lamb

Take Ancestor Vines (planted in 1894), a great vintage, experienced winemaking. Add 30 months of aging in American and French oak, resulting in the stunning 2018 Command Single Vineyard Shiraz. Boasting fabulous density and concentration, this full-bodied effort is still almost embryonic in its development, with tarry, mocha, yet lifted notes accenting intense blackberry fruit; a rich, supple yet structured mouthfeel, and a long, mouthwatering finish. Once it hits its stride in a few years, it should drink well for 20 years or more.

Pairs well with: Beef & Venison

Sangiovese, aka Brunello is grown all over Italy, but most prevalent in Tuscany. Valdicava wine estate produces some of the highest quality wines in the world by showing different expressions of this opulent grape variety. Located in the valley of Montosoli, to the north of Montalcino, the winery only produces two wines: a Rosso and Brunello, with the single vineyard, Madonna del Piano only produced in the very best vintages. This 2016 has attractive aromas of cherry nib, violet, tomato leaf, walnut, and orange rind. Full bodied with dusty tannins and a long, linear finish. 

from the famed Valdicava winery, this single vineyard wine is only produced in the most excellent vintages. 2007 was a stellar year with perfect conditions for ripening of the Sangiovese grape. Beautifully knit together, this wine has deep, concentrated notes of blueberries and blackberries, leather, and tobacco. Deeply textured, yet with smooth tannins, and layers and layers of flavour. This will undoubtedly just get better in the bottle. If drinking now, decant or hold until 2030-2035.

95/100 Wine Enthusiast
Duval delivers a wine that echoes the warmth of the vintage without losing the character of place. Rich, complex and heady aromas of blueberry, blackberry and plum cascade from the glass, followed by dried mint, bay leaves and charred cedar. The mouthfeel is creamy, lathered in luscious fruit and oak without either being overwhelming. The tannins are powerful but seamlessly integrated. Christina Pickard

Produced from 314 plots totaling nearly 28 hectares (75 acres) of vineyards. Ao Yun vineyards range in altitude from 2,200 to 2,600 meters, enabling the cabernet sauvignon grape to express the full refinement of this unique terroir. Local farmers have worked these lands for centuries, adapting their farming techniques to the steep mountainsides. To respect time-honoured local tradition, the grape harvest and winemaking are done entirely by hand. The Ao Yun terroir enjoys exceptional climatic conditions, with temperatures similar to those of Bordeaux

Le Petit Mouton de Mouton Rothschild is a Second Wine from the famed First Growth, Château Mouton Rothschild, that offers an opportunity for oenophiles to experience its sensuous winemaking style at a great value. Château Mouton Rothschild was initially ranked as a Second Growth during the Official 1855 Classification, and in 1922, the estate was acquired by Baron Phillippe de Rothschild, a true renaissance man who added his name to the label. The Baron was a successful winegrower, a playwright, a screenwriter, a theatrical producer, a poet, and a Grand Prix racecar driver. He also referred to Château Mouton Rothschild’s Second Growth classification as a “monstrous injustice.”

Pairs well with: Beef, Lamb and Venison

Chateau Margaux has a vast history, five centuries in the making. Most know this wine as just "Pavillon Rouge", but with its full name, the origins are clear: This is the 2nd wine of Chateau Margaux, one of the 1855 Classification 1st growths. The flavours and quality are close, yet with the ability to drink a little earlier than its big sister. Typically this wine represents 30% of the grapes harvested for a vintage. The 2019 is comprised of 76% Cabernet Sauvignon, 19% Merlot, 3% Petit Verdot and 2% Cabernet Franc. With this warm vintage, there is more body in the wine, yet still well balanced. Loaded with black fruit, pencil shavings, tobacco and spices, it is elegant and velvety on the palate with plenty of structure, yet still fresh and fruity. Touted as one of the best vintages for this wine and worth the purchase.

95 points - James Suckling "The nose is redolent with ripe plums and dark cherries, as well as abundant red and purple flowers and a faint, blonde-tobacco edge. The palate delivers an ultra-rich and flavorful palate with polished, sinewy tannins that will carry this wine for some time to come. Freshness and balance, finishing taut and youthful. Full of promise, this is one of the finest recent releases from here. Try from 2023. "

Second label of Chateau Latour.

Critic tasting note: "There is a velvet touch to this smooth, rounded wine. With some dark tannins as well as blackberry fruits, it is rich with some concentration. At the same time, the acidity shoots through the wine to give a really fruity aftertaste." - 94/100, Wine Enthusiast

Chateau Angelus in St. Emilion, Bordeaux's right bank has been in existence since 1782. Now operated by Stephanie de Bouard-Rivoal, who represents the 8th generation of the Bouard de Laforest family. Her goal is to ensure the Angelus name continues to represent excellence and timelessness. Although the estate has been farming organically, they are going through the process to obtain official organic certification. The 2019 Angelus is a red blend of 60% Merlot and 40% Cabernet Franc. Full and powerful the blackfruits of black cherry, cassis, plum, dried flowers and forest floor are evident with ripe tannins, medium+ body and a full, long finish. This wine is sure to age for 30 or more years.

There is 52% Merlot in the blend and it shows in an enticing, opulent aroma of plum and blackberry. A little more backward than the other wines in the Haut-Brion stable so far, but all the ingredients are there to make a brilliant wine. There is a great depth of ripe fruit, impressively fine tannins, lovely balance and excellent length. It is superbly fresh and has exceptional potential for the future.
(52% Merlot, 36% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Cabernet Franc, 2% Petit Verdot)

Blend: 66% Cabernet Sauvignon, 24% Merlot, 7% Cabernet Franc and the rest Petit Verdot
Drinking Window: 2020-2052

95 Points - Robert Parker
"The 2010 Pichon Lalande is performing extremely well and at the top of the range I predicted several years ago. A final blend dominated much more by Cabernet Sauvignon than usual (66% Cabernet Sauvignon, 24% Merlot, 7% Cabernet Franc and the rest Petit Verdot), the wine is a tighter, more tannic and structured version of this famed Pauillac, which often tends to have more of a St-Julien-like personality than most Pauillacs. Structured, backward and tannic, yet showing a fat mid-palate that is more savory, broader and more expansive than I remember from barrel, this wine is somewhat reminiscent of the 1986, given the Cabernet Sauvignon domination of the blend. Full-bodied, impressively endowed, and less sexy and velvety than normal, this is a somewhat different style of Pichon Lalande than most readers have been used to. Whether you like it more or less will depend on your point of view, but this wine, unlike most Pichon Lalandes, needs a good 5-7 years of cellaring and should keep for 30+ years."

Blend: Cabernet Sauvignon: 70%, Merlot: 30%
Drinking Window: 2014-2045

96 Points - Neal Martin, Vinous
"The 2009 Pavillon Rouge du Château Margaux is a splendid example of this second wine’s quality. It presents an expressive bouquet of dark fruits, floral notes, and cedar. On the palate, it is full-bodied and well-balanced with velvety tannins and a seamless texture. Layers of blackcurrant, plum, and subtle spice build through to a long, refined finish. This wine is seductive yet structured, demonstrating excellent ageing potential and the hallmark elegance of Margaux.”

Blend: 82% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Merlot and 8% Cabernet Franc
Drinking Window: 2020 - 2065

99 Points - Robert Parker, Wine Advocate
"This has always been one of my favourite wines from the estate… a quintessentially elegant, classic wine of Bordeaux—firm, rigid… with loads of black currants, cedar wood and vanillin, needing 7–8 years of cellaring, and should last for 30+ years.”

Blend: 97.1% Cabernet Sauvignon, 2.6% Merlot and 0.3% Petit Verdot
Drinking Window for Magnum Size: 2018-2055

95 Points - Robert Parker, Wine Advocate
"A blend of 84.5 % Cabernet Sauvignon, 15 % Merlot and 0.5 % Petit Verdot, the 2011 Latour represents only 34 % of the crop. It hit 13.1 % natural alcohol. One of the vintage’s most compelling wines, it possesses a dense ruby/purple color as well as a sweet, open‑knit personality with ripe tannin, superb intensity, good purity and harmony, a medium to full‑bodied mouthfeel, and lots of crushed rock, floral and black as well as blue fruit notes in addition to hints of ink and forest floor. This beautifully rich, savory Latour will be surprisingly drinkable in 4–5 years, and should age easily for two decades or more.”

Blend: 54% Merlot and 46% Cabernet Franc
Drinking Window: 2020-2047

96 Points - Robert Parker, Wine Advocate
"The 2012 Château Cheval Blanc is an exceptional wine from this renowned Saint-Émilion estate. It displays a deep, vibrant ruby color and a complex bouquet that combines aromas of ripe black cherries, blackcurrants, and plums with hints of graphite, fresh tobacco, and spice. Floral notes of violets and subtle hints of cedar and sweet baking spices emerge with aeration. The palate is medium to full-bodied, with silky, well-integrated tannins providing a plush texture. The wine shows remarkable purity and freshness, combining vibrant fruit intensity with an elegant structure and an underlying minerality characteristic of the estate’s terroir. Flavors of black fruit are layered with nuances of dark chocolate, licorice, and a touch of earthiness. The finish is long, refined, and persistent, with balanced acidity giving the wine excellent aging potential. This vintage is a classic example of Cheval Blanc’s finesse and power and is expected to evolve beautifully over the next two decades."

Blend: 80% Merlot, 19% Cabernet franc, 1% Cabernet Sauvignon
Drinking Window: 2028-2045

99 Points - James Suckling
"Wow. This is really something for the vintage. Such a long finish, while being subtle and sophisticated with wonderfully silky tannins that are so fine and very long. It's medium-bodied with a beautiful, compact palate from the beginning to the end, including the mid-palate. The finish shows walnut, hazelnut and dark-chocolate character. Exceptional."

Blend: 30% merlot and 5% cabernet franc and petit verdot combined
Drinking Window: 2028-2045

96 Points - Vinous
"The 2024 Lascombes represents another important step for Lascombes under its current leadership. Silky and elegant, with notable depth, the Grand Vin impresses with its textural resonance and persistence. New leather, licorice, lavender and incense weave through a core of dark-toned fruit. Lascombes is shaping up to be one of the sleepers of 2024. I can't wait to taste it from bottle. Impressive. Tasted three times."

Blend: 84% Merlot, 13% Cabernet Sauvignon, 3% Cabernet Franc
Drinking Window: 2030 - 2057

97 Points - Vinous
"The 2024 Troplong Mondot is a total stunner. As has been the case for some years now, the Grand Vin is blended before being barreled down, which means at the time of tasting en primeur, the wine has seen less wood than the vast majority of its peers. That lends this wine a certain raw energy that is impossible to miss. The purity and intensity of the flavors are simply remarkable. Troplong Mondot is one of the standouts of 2024. Even in this vintage, Troplong Mondot possesses remarkable textural presence, but that richness is matched by notable freshness and linear drive. It was deeply impressive on the two occasions I tasted it. Élevage is planned to be 55% in new oak, 26% in 20HL barrels and 19% in once-used barrels."

Blend: 86% Cabernet Sauvignon, 14% Merlot
Drinking Window: 2026-2045

97 Points - James Suckling
"A precise, classic vintage showing depth of fruit, but with beautiful austerity and minerals. Mostly red fruit, with touches of dark cherries and currants. Medium- to full-bodied with very fine-etched tannins and lots of brightness. So long and refined in the finish, showing restraint. 51% cabernet sauvignon, 46.5% merlot and 2.5% cabernet franc."

Blend: 86% Cabernet Sauvignon, 14% Merlot
Drinking Window: 2026-2045

97 Points - James Suckling
"A precise, classic vintage showing depth of fruit, but with beautiful austerity and minerals. Mostly red fruit, with touches of dark cherries and currants. Medium- to full-bodied with very fine-etched tannins and lots of brightness. So long and refined in the finish, showing restraint. 51% cabernet sauvignon, 46.5% merlot and 2.5% cabernet franc."

Blend: 47% Cabernet Sauvignon, 38% Merlot, 15% Cabernet Franc
Drinking Window: 2028-2059

98 Points - James Suckling
"This year, the style of Haut Brion shows through with transparency, beautiful balance and precision. Fine austerity, with excellent minerality, dark olives and red and dark berries. Structured on the mid-palate. Beautiful depth for the vintage, with really fine-grained tannins and a lengthy finish that lingers. So much vibrancy and finesse. A classic vintage."

Blend: 93% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Merlot, 1% Cabernet Franc, 1% Petit Verdot
Drinking Window: 2029-2055

98 Points - James Suckling
"Really impressive depth, concentration and perfume this year, with fine tannins. Lots of violets, red flowers, black cherries and currants. Full-bodied and seriously structured, with impeccable freshness and a very long finish. Dense and powerful for the vintage, with tension, vibrations, good concentration and a tannin framework."

Blend: 77% Cabernet Sauvignon, 11% Merlot, 9% Cabernet Franc, 3% Petit Verdot
Drinking Window: 2027-2055

96 Points - James Suckling
"Good, pure fruit with scented violets, black cherries and some currants. Full-bodied and richer than most from the vintage, with lots of fresh, dusty tannins and impressive concentration. Fresh, pure, compact and long."

Celebrate the Lunar New Year with the limited-edition LOUIS XIII Classic Decanter - Year of the Snake. Designed by renowned artist Liu Lihong, this exquisite offering reflects the craftsmanship and eaux-de-vie legacy of LOUIS XIII, making it a timeless homage to tradition and artistry.